Placer mining machine



Agg. 18, 19142.

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'Filed "aan, s?, 112940' -4 sheets-:smet :s`

By @www A orneys Inventor In vetor www @Mm A tomeys Patented Aug. 18, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PLACER. MINING MACHINE Frank Tucker, Billings,` Mont. Application January 17, 1940, Serial No. 314,334

' z canna (ci. zot-44) and wound on a manually operable drum 6 The present invention relates to newand useful improvements in placer' mining machines andI has for one of its important objects to provide, in a manner as hereinafter sut forth. an apparatus of this character embodying a novel combination and arrangement for rapidly, and thoroughly separating the coarser portions of the material from the finer portions thereof.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a machine of the aforementioned character embodying novel means whereby small nuggets will be separated from the black sand and dirt and subsequently recovering or separating the yblack sand from the dirt."

Still another very important object ofthe invention is to provide a placer mining machine of the character set forth inthe form of a unitary structure wherein all of the moving parts may be driven from a single source of power.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a placer mining machine which will `be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly emcient and reliable in use and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specifications, taken in connection with the accompany; ing drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and whereiny Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a placer mounted on the forward end of the frame structure I. Mounted in the rear end portion of the frame structure I is a suitable power plant 'I.y

A belt and pulley drive 8 operatively connects the conveyor 3 to the power plant 1. Any suitable means may be employed for controlling the operation of the conveyor 3. y v

Rotatably mounted in the upper portion of the frame structure I is what may be referred to as a barrel which is designated generally by the reference numeral 9. Thevbarrel 9, it will be observed, is inclined toward its forward end and the rear portion of said barrel is in the form of a metallic cylinder I0. The forward portion of the barrel 9 is in the form of a cylindrical screen Rollers I2 (see Fig, @il rotatably supportthe barrel 9 in the frame structure I.

Mounted in the barrel 9 is a plurality of spirally extending fins I3. The cylinder I0 is provided with `four of these ns I3. However, but

` two of the fins extend through the rotating screen vI I, the remaining two terminating at the forward end of the cylinder I0. The rear or intake end of the cylinder ID is provided with'an internal flange I4. This is shown to advantage in Figure 2 of the drawings. A suitable belt and pul- .v ley drive I5 (see Figs. 2 and 5) operatively conmining machine constructed in accordanceV with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view In vertical longitudinal sec-` tion through the'rear portion of thefapparatus. l

Figure 3 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through the forward portion of the appa- IatIlS.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially on the line4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is across sectional View, taken subl stantially on theline 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view through the rotary screen and adjacent parts.

Figure? is a cross sectional view through the stacking conveyor, taken substantially on the line 'I--1 of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a view in vertical longitudinal sec- I tion through an intermediate portion of the rime.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises an elongated frame structure which is designated generally by the reference numeral I, said frame structure being mounted on rollers 2. vMounted forvertical swinging adjustment on the forward end of the frame structure I is an endless stackconve or.3. The conveyor 3 is adjusted by ing I .y o to receive the co'arser materials removed by th'e means including cables 4 traveling over pulleys I nects the barrel 9 to the power plant 1.

Mounted on the upper, rear portion of the frame structure I, adjacent the rear end of the barrel 9, is a hopper I6. A grizzly I'I in the form of a plurality of spaced, inclined rails or bars is provided in the hopper I6.` Mounted in the rear end portion of the frame structure I is aecomparatively short, inclined endless conveyor I8 which receives the material from the hopper I6 and deposits said material in the rear end portion of thebarrel 9. Mounted longitudinally on one side of the frame structure I is an inclined endless Yconveyor I9 which is adapted to receive the comparatively large rocks, etc., which are separated from the material by the grizzly I'I in the hopper I6 and discharge said rocks, etc., on the stacking conveyor 3. A belt and pulley `drive 20 operatively connects the conveyor I9 to the power plant Then, a belt and pulley drive`2l actufates the conveyor I8 from the drive 20.

Mounted beneath th'e rotating cylindricall screen II is a substantially trough1 shaped vibrating screen 22. Guards23 are provided adjacent the` lower side portions of the revolving screen. II for preventing the material therefrom from spilling or dropping over the sides of the vibrating screen\22. The vibrating screen 22 is suspended on hangers 24. The screen 22 is `vibrated by the power plant 1 through a suitable drive 25 (see Fig. 1) A chute 26 on the forward end portion of the :frame structure I is .adapted -therefrom by the grizzly the material therefrom at its rear end is a'sluice 28. Rimes 29 are mounted in the sluice 28. Referring now to Figure 8 of the drawings, it w11l observed that the riilies 29 are in sections-or umts on plates 30 which are removably secured in position by bolts 3|. A'suitable drive 32 from the power plant 1 vibrates the sluice 28. Infthe forward end portion of the sluice 28 is a screen 33 (see Fig. 3). Mounted beneath the screen 33 is a receptacle 34 for receiving the black sand which is separated from the dirt by the screen 33, said dirt passing over said screen to the conveyor 3.

It is thought that the operation of the-apparatus will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. All of the moving parts are driven by th'e single power plant 1. The material is placed in the hopper I6 in any suitable manner and the large rocks, etc., are separated I1, being deposited thereby' on the conveyor I9. As hereinbefore explained, these large rocks, etc., are deposited by the conveyor I9 on:the conveyor 3|by which they charged. A perforated pipe 35 from a suitable source of supply discharges water into th'e barrel 9. The material which Ipasses through the grizzly I1 drops from the hopper I6 to the conveyor I8 by which it is deposited in the rear end' -screen II now removes the coarser portions of the material and deposits them on the conveyor 3 through the medium of the chute 26. The material which is fine enough to pass through the mesh of the revolving cylindrical screen I I drops into the inclined, vibrating screen 22 and th'e coarser materials are again removed and deposited on the conveyer 3 through the medium of the chute 26. The materials passing through the vibrating ,screen 22. drop into the trough 21 and are deposited thereby in the rear end portion of the sluice trough 28, as at 36 (see Fig. 2). These materials are then moved forwardly by th'e vibrating sluice 28 andthenuggets are separated and retained by the riies 29. The remaining materials, comprising black sand and dirt, then pass over the screen 33 through which the black sand drops into the receptacle 34, the dirt passing on to the conveyor 3. The water passing over the riffles 29 will pass over the screen 33 and the heavier fine material Will pass through' the screen into the receptacle 34.- The screen 33 forms a continuation of the bottom of the sluice and the upper edges of the receptacle are close to the bottom of the screenandfaccordingly lthe water passing through the sluice will enter the receptacle and create a level so close to the screen that the tailings will be washed over the screen onto the tailings conveyor 3. It will be understood that this action will depend on a proper volume 'of water passing through the sluice and the water will spill over the rear wall of the receptacle before reaching the conveyor. Suitable supporting-brackets 31 are provided on one side of the frame structure I for the conveyor I9. 'I'he forward end of the conveyor I9 *are carried away from the machine and disprojects beyond the frame structure I and suitable braces- 38 are provided therefor.

It is believed that the many advantages of a placer mining machine constructed in accordance with th'e present invention will be readily understood and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is-to be understood that changes in th'e details of con- .struction and in the combination and Iarrangement of parts maybe resorted to which will fall within the scopeI of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A placer mining A machine comprising, in combination, a frame structure, a tailings conveyor on one end of said frame structure, a hopper for the reception of material, on ,the other end of the frame structure, a grizzly in said hopper for removing the oversize from the material, a conveyor or the frame structure for conveying the oversize from the grizzly to the tailings conveyor, an inclined barrel, including a foraminous lower portion, rotatably mounted on the frame structure, means for conveying the material from the hopper into said barrel, a vibrating screen mounted beneath the foramnousvportion of the barrel for receiving the material screened therethrough, said barrel and screen both having a discharged end in superposed relation, common means for receiving tailings from the barrel and the vibrating screen and discharging the same onto the tailings conveyor, means lfor receiving the material from the vibrating screen and recovering the values therefrom and also arranged to deposit tailings onto the tailings conveyor, all of the tailings being discharged onto the tailings conveyor in the direction of travel of the tailings conveyor, and means for actuating the conveyors, the barrel, the rst named means and the vibrating screen.

2. A placer mining machine comprising, in combination, an elongated frame structure, a hopper for the reception of material, mounted on one end portion of said frame structure, a grizzly in the hopper for removing oversize from the material, an endless conveyor mounted longitudinally on the frame structure for receiving the oversize from said grizzly, an inclined rotary barrel mounted longitudinally on the frame structure and including a foraminous lower portion, an endless conveyor mounted on the frame structure for conveying the material from the hopper into said barrel, a vibrating screen mounted beneath the foraminous portion of the barrel for receiving material screened therethrough, a return trough mounted beneath the vibrating screen for receiv- 4 ing-the material therefrom, a vibrating sluice mounted beneath the trough for receiving the material and recovering the valves therefrom, a

receptacle at the lower end of the sluice having av veyor, a chute mounted on said other end 0f the frame structure for conveying tailings from the barrel and the vibrating screen to the third named conveyor, all of the tailings being. discharged onto the tailings conveyor in the direction of travel of the tailings conveyor, and means for actuating the conveyors, the barrel, thejviy brating screen and the sluice. l I FRANKA TUCKER. 

